“Ottomane” ist eine fünfteilige fotografische Serie von Installationen. Sie zeigt verschiedene Räume, die mit orientalischen Teppichen bedeckt sind. Die Künstlerin hat diese Räume physisch konstruiert und verhüllt, ohne digitale Techniken zu verwenden. Durch die Ausbreitung der Ornamente wird der Raumeffekt aufgehoben. Dieser Moment der Unsicherheit und Unfassbarkeit, einschließlich der scheinbaren Schwerelosigkeit in den Räumen, ist der Versuch der Künstlerin, das Universum darzustellen. So wie Menschen die Unsicherheit und Komplexität des Universums nicht begreifen können, verlieren sie auch im Bild die räumliche Wahrnehmung.
https://monaschulzek.de/ottomane/

Mona Schulzek’s “Ottomane (Cosmos)” is a photographic series created in 2016, comprising five installations where entire rooms are enveloped in oriental carpets. This physical transformation was achieved without any digital manipulation, effectively dissolving the spatial perception of the rooms. The intricate patterns and the resulting ambiguity aim to evoke the vastness and complexity of the cosmos, inviting viewers to experience a sense of weightlessness and uncertainty.
MONA SCHULZEK

The series has been exhibited in several prestigious venues, including the Sprengel Museum Hannover in 2021, Paris Photo in 2021, and the Max Ernst Museum in 2019. Notably, “Ottomane” earned Schulzek the first prize at the Vonovia Award for Photography in 2019.
MONA SCHULZEK

In an interview with Arthur Dayras for The Eye of Photography Magazine during Paris Photo 2021, Schulzek discussed her inspiration for the series. She aimed to transform a room into a sculptural entity, treating it as a piece of wood or stone. By covering the space with Persian carpets, she created a collage of colors and patterns that, upon closer inspection, reveal the underlying room. This approach mirrors the experience of exploring a sculpture and reflects the uncertainties akin to observing the cosmos.
MONA SCHULZEK

Schulzek’s work often explores themes related to space and the cosmos, as seen in her “Outer Space Transmitter” series, where she developed an extraterrestrial alphabet and built a functional radio station to send art into space, aiming to communicate with extraterrestrial life.
MONA SCHULZEK

For more information on Mona Schulzek and her projects, you can visit her official website.